Flirt
by Shy Cheese
Summary: Sometimes a friendship is just flirting around the issue.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, I'm back with an idea that has been interrupting my thoughts too much to not act upon it. I'm not sure where this is going to take me, so if you are willing, please continue to read as I figure this out. As in life, there are multiple points of view and not all of them are the same. Or maybe they are.**

**I don't own anybody, just little old me.**

POV 1

I have had short-term relationships in the past, and truthfully my thing is more of what need can this person take care of for me. That is not meant to sound selfish or bold, it is meant to be the truth. I am a romantic sort of woman and I will settle for having a physical relationship if it meets my needs. I like to be in control of my life. I have a good handle on my education, my job is one of prestige and high profile. It makes me go out on a limb, along with family obligations and countenances in my life.

Dabbling between men and women, I do not have a preference. I take pride that I can bed a beautiful woman or a handsome man with almost little effort on my part. I choose to take care of myself, both mind and body, and have been blessed with good genes. For a shy girl, that is tremendous to me and helps to build up my confidence. I do not like to take center stage but can do so if the situation presents itself. This is me.

We met her months ago and was I immediately struck by her beauty and the way she carries herself with such confidence. It is, however, her humor and the way she treats everyone around her that touches me the most. After we were introduced to each other, I felt her warmth and I was struck with the impression that the people in her life to lucky to have her. She seemed to like making me laugh and would sometimes go out of her way to do so. I enjoyed spending time with her, and after a while, my thoughts about her changed from friendship into fantasy. I know it is pointless but I cannot help it because I find her utterly adorable.

She has no idea what she does to me, and I believe that is a good thing. We are friends, after all, and I do not have the nerve to tell her otherwise. It is not that I am not confident in our relationship, I am. But the thought of losing her is enough to not take that chance to tell her how I feel. Devil's advocate has me realizing that I could have the most wonderful relationship with this woman, and yet I am too frightened to act.

She has an elegance about her and yet she is so simple. She is truly the girl next door, and I wonder if she will let me move beside her. She can make anyone feel at ease while at the same time being uneasy herself. I like to watch her without being noticed, just to see the expressions on her face when she thinks of something that is funny. She has the maturity of a woman who has been around town, and yet she will laugh at the most innocent of situations. Most people do not know this side of her because she knows how she wants to be represented. She wants the vulnerability to be hidden away from prying eyes, but I know her too well and that will never be buried from me.

My thoughts about her are anything but innocent. If she would be open to me as a lover, I would be on top of the world. We flirt back and forth as friends, only the best of friends can do so. We are that and, in my heart, I believe so much more. She believes we are just joking like horny freshmen women in college, however, those times haunt me. Sometimes I wonder if she can see the real me and would be receptive to a different us. She has family and her established career and I only fit into that as a coworker. She says she admires me and is in awe of my intelligence. Little does she know that I spend my free time wondering if I could win her over.

Does she know how often I just watch her, almost to the point of obsession? Watching her walk with so much confidence and swagger makes me fantasize what it is like to have her come undone in my arms. In my bed. If I had the courage, I would flirt without restraint.

Perhaps she would walk into my office while I am at my desk absorbed in completing an overdue report. I could see myself closing the door and hearing the sound of the lock engaging, my heart would beat loudly in my ears. I think she would look at me with curiosity as she closes the blinds to the outside world. We are alone and the time is now to confess our emotions to each other. She takes and puts the folder down on my desk and asks me what is happening. My love, what is about to happen is that I will show you my heart and come to you, while hoping and praying you feel the same for me. If not, I will have lost all that I have wanted.

She would tilt her head a little to the right, and her eyes would look into mine with certainty and excitement for what we are about to embark upon. This encourages me to move slowly towards her, with my heart in my hands and desire coursing through my body. I approach her without breaking eye contact, as I cannot believe this link that she appears to be feeling. She seems frozen in place and I cannot stop myself.

With her desire that shines in her eyes as she locks into mine, I would be propelled forward to make the move to prove my intention to her. And what is my intention? I am scared to death, but it is now or never. This has got to feel right, as there is no going back for me. Can she make the transition as well?

I would stop in front of her and try to calm my loudly beating heart. We have approached each other before, but this time it would feel different. It feels like it is our moment to express our inner most selves to each other. My hand reaches out to touch her arm and she follows it with her eyes. When I connect with her body, all my nerve endings in my hand are focused completely on the feel of her.

Looking into her dark eyes, I would search for a sign that I should continue. It has to be there, it has to be real or else I risk losing the best relationship that I have. What I see is love and kindness staring back at me. Am I reading too much into this? Is she feeling what I am feeling for her? My courage is fleeting quickly.

She would smile and pulls me into an embrace. My arms wrap around and pull her in as closely as I can, as she tightens her grip as well. I run my hands up to her neck and into her dark long hair. God, I love the feel of it in my hands, the soft and silky strands that make it impossible for me not to encircle my fingers into it. She would tilt her head away and expose that lovely long neck of hers. I could not let the opportunity slip by and would, at last, place a soft wet kiss on her eloquent skin. I can tell she likes it because of the low moan that her vibrates within her throat. I am overwhelmed by her feel and the scent that is so her, designed to be worn by her and no one else.

My phone rings, and it brings me out of my fantasy about my best friend. For a moment, it startles me as I quickly pull my mind out of its day-dream state and attempt to focus on reality. I look around and realize that my blinds are not closed and my door is wide open. The technicians are mulling about while performing their daily tasks. I listen to the person on the other end of the telephone and feel a let down as I continue to come back from an aroused high. The let-down is rather much, and I take notes of the conversation to revisit when in a better mental state.

And she strides into my office, this time keeping the door and the blinds up. She ungraciously sits down on the couch while waiting patiently for my attention. Little does she know that a few minutes earlier, the thought of kissing her was causing my body to shake in anticipation.

"Hey, let's go try that new place on the waterfront for lunch today. I'm starving."

I'm starving as well.

**Be kind Dear Readers, it's been a while.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sounds like you guys are on board! **

POV 2

I consider myself an easy-going person that gets along with others. Being from a family that actually enjoys spending time together has helped shape my outlook on life. Dinners were always loud in our house, but I suppose that is the norm when there are two parents trying to handle three kids. When we were bad, we were sent outside and not allowed back in until the next meal. My mom thought this was punishment but in fact we enjoyed it. I think she just needed some quiet time from us.

I grew up in a house that, I would not quite say were strict Catholics, but all of us were baptized and made to attend Mass. I like the ritual of going to church, as the structure and tradition affects me. It is what I know. My mother is more devoted than my father. We never had meat on Fridays, and each religious holiday was celebrated over the top. The priest knew our family well and we were respected in the parish even though our attendance was not on an every-week pattern. I did not mind church as a kid unless there was a game on.

Sports were a staple in my life since I can remember. I was always a tall girl and that helped me to be popular in whatever sports we were playing. Basketball, soccer and softball were my favorites to play. Since we live in the Boston area, I have been blessed with good teams to follow. My brothers like the Celtics the best, whereas my heart has always been with the Red Sox. But of course one cannot forget the Patriots and the joys of football season.

Growing up, I never lost the Tom Boy image. I tried to wear make-up and dress more feminine, but the boys always saw me as the girl who could kick the winning goal and then go celebrate with the rest of the guys on the team. I did not mind this too much until I overheard one of the members of the team talk about how his girlfriend wanted to meet me. At first, I could not understand why that was such an issue, but then I realized that he was jealous because she wanted to meet me. Me, the jock. I will never forget that day, because it was the first time that I was aware someone was interested in me, and that someone was a girl. That both excited and terrified me.

My chosen profession does not necessarily help me in shedding the Tom Boy image. I have learned to make friends with the crew at work and fit in well. They have found a balance of treating me as one of the guys and yet still as a woman. There has been a few of the other officers that I have gone out with, even a few I have slept with. Truth be told, I did it more so out of the helping my reputation instead of having feelings for them. Do not get me wrong, the sex was okay, but I never really lost myself like I thought I would. Maybe that is my fault for going out with the wrong people. Or perhaps spending too much time reading love stories. The woman always falls for the most handsome of men. Me, it has not happened yet.

And then she walked into my life. Our first meeting was a bit awkward and quite frankly, she pissed me off. Later, there was something about this woman that had me thinking of her well after the incident. That night, my thoughts turned to the chic woman that annoyed me earlier. At first, I was not so much thinking that we would become friends. It was more about the look in her eyes that kept coming back to me. There was a fire behind those green orbs that struck me and I was not sure how to process this. As it turns out, our paths would continue to cross because we would be working together in the future.

Although our first meeting was a bust, we ended up working well together and becoming friends. She is the exact opposite of me in terms of upbringing and that only adds to our relationship. She is well-educated and some would even call a genius. I think she must moonlight for Google because there are not many topics she cannot expand upon. And yet, she does not make me feel inferior because of it. In fact, she is amused when I gently tease her about the facts she rattles off.

After I would say a month of meeting her, I started to realize that she would be in my thoughts more so than I care to admit. Especially for a friend, and most especially for a woman friend. I must admit that I often catch admiring her maybe a little too much. But it is hard not to, she is a knockout.

After a conference in my office area, she rose and walked towards the elevator. First to notice are the sounds of her heels as she makes her way across the room. Just by the sounds alone, it entices the eyes to turn around to see what is making that sound. Behold, a sight to see like no other. A woman with long, wavy blonde hair wearing a fitted blouse neatly tucked into a pencil skirt. And the slit in the back of the skirt highlights a pair of legs that would make a grown man cry. The tone of those calves, I would bet my life, caused many a man a sleepless night.

And thinking of her, sadly, she is causing me the same curse. And I am not happy about it; after all, she is my friend. She is my coworker. She is a woman, and now she is fan object of my inner desires. I tell myself that this cannot be. I was brought up to think I would be marrying a man, have a good career and raise children. We would go to church and have the family and friends over for Sunday dinners. My parents would be proud of me, because the apple is not to fall far from the tree. I understand that and thus try to live my life to comfort my parents. Well, more so my mother because she means the world to me.

So now we are friends, and our relationship consists of going out to bars and seeing the clientele in an attempt to set each other up. Although she is only a friend, the thought of her going out on a date does not make me comfortable. I wish it did, it would make life easier, but I find myself on those days going home and seeing how quickly I can finish a six pack of Blue Moon. I lie awake wondering if she has chosen this lucky bastard of a fellow to have sex with. I know I should not think like this but I do. It annoys me because I feel I have no control over my feelings, especially ones I am not supposed to feel.

It is not that I am afraid of her, oh no. I enjoy our times together, especially when we are alone and watching tv. Our Friday nights together consist of watching either a documentary that I cannot believe someone came up with that idea to film or, if I am lucky, a sports documentary or game. It is laid back and comfy. We each have our own comfortable clothes stashed away at the other's place for those nights that run late. She will change out of her designer wardrobe and into some yoga pants and a t-shirt. I feel lucky to witness the relaxation of her mind and body and find those nights most enjoyable.

I have never wanted a woman like I want her. I admit that I want to be around her to hear her laugher and to just absorb all of her. I tell myself this is friendship, but I know better. No, this is a crush and that is all I will admit. She makes me curious to wonder what it would be like to get to know her on an intimate level. If only I could let my guard down and follow the temptation that will not leave me, as much as I try. This must not be right.

I like to see the smile on her face when she sees me. She can be so absorbed in what she has her mind set on, but then she looks my way and her face transforms. I feel like the luckiest person to have a friend like her, because I believe she genuinely cares. She has a kind soul, unlike no other I have met. Maybe that is why I am attracted to her, if I admit it to myself. I do not like feeling out of control, nor do I like straying away from what is expected of me. I have been trying most of my life to carve out my identify and it was never one who was interested in women. Quite the contrary. I just wish that I had a fulfilling relationship with a man that gave me more than a few comments on how beautiful I am, and sex. Surely there has to be more to life than this, and yet I feel guilty for asking the same question over and over.

She is my friend, I continue to tell myself. Also, I have never felt like this before. Scared and wanting to spend more time with her. I ask myself so often why is there something about this woman that makes me want to risk it all.

Except her friendship. I cannot lose her.


	3. Chapter 3

I was upset that Frankie could not go with me to opening day, imagine giving up the opportunity to watch the Red Sox cream the Yankees on the first day of the season. I had taken the day off since the game was at one o'clock and according to the forecast, it was going to be a beautiful spring day in Boston. There was no way I would miss this. I decided to give Maura a call to see if she could go with me to the game.

"Hey Maura, it's Jane. Hey, I know it is last minute, but would you like to go to a baseball game with me tomorrow?"

"Hello Jane. Can I ask who is playing?"

Tell me she did not just ask that. "Oh come on Maura, I have only been talking about it for the past two weeks! Frankie has to work now and cannot go with me. Please, I would like for you to come with me." Why was my heart suddenly beating quickly while I waited for her response.

"Oh Jane, I would be honored to accompany you to the sporting event! Would this be a good occasion to wear that jersey you gave me last year for Christmas?"

Only she would make it sound like preparing for senior prom. "Yes Maura, that would be great. I have the day off, can I pick you up at ten?"

"I look forward to it Jane, thank you so much! I will call and get Dr. Pike to be on call beginning this evening so that I am all yours tomorrow. Until then."

I could not help but stare at the phone after she hung up. I sense that this is going to be interesting.

I stopped my car in front of her house at 10:05. I was trying my best not to arrive early and give her ample time to prepare for the day's outing.

"Jane, you are late" I say. I open the door and see my beautiful friend in a white jersey that states her beloved Red Sox, dark jeans and a pair of Nike's tennis shoes. Her jersey number was 34 and, on the back, it said Ortiz. She looked to be in her element.

"Maura, what are you wearing?" she asks. I had on Jimmy Cho's, a pair of dark jeans, a red tank top and a white jersey that said Red Sox. "You cannot walk around Fenway Park in those heels! How about wearing some work out shoes instead? I had put on a pair of red heels, as it shows off my calf muscles. I wanted to see the look on her face as she watched my legs. I went upstairs to change shoes and I could not for the life of me take off my right shoe.

"Jane, could you please help me." I called from the bedroom. I hear the steps rattling as she soon after walks into my bedroom. "I cannot pull off the right shoe, can you help please?"

I kneel in front of her and gingerly place my hands on the side of her foot. As soon as my hands make contact, I have to quench the desire to move upward towards her knee, her thigh and then plunge into …. And with one swift tough, I pull off her heel. I have to quell the desire to massage her foot, and clear my head to remember where I am.

"Come on Maura, we have to go. Get your shoes on, ok? I'll be down stairs".

Well, that could have worked out better than I thought. I change into my workout shoes that luckily go quite well with my attire. I am ready to spend the day with Jane.

We park two blocks away from Fenway in a safe parking garage. Maura ensures that I am equally spaced between the two cars on the left and right of me. I am so ready to arrive and enjoy being part of the Red Sox Nation. I have to remind myself to walk slower as we get near the ballpark. We pass by a bar that has Opening Day specials, and I tell her we are going in.

The room is abuzz with other Red Sox fans and I am in Heaven. We sit down and I look across the table at Maura as she is soaking this all in. We order two Seasonal Sam Adams and some nachos. I am surprised that she did not want to order some elaborate dressing or vegetable on top of it. On occasion, she does surprise me.

"Oh Jane look, there is someone else wearing the jersey you are wearing." Maura says with glee.

After a few quick beers, we enter Fenway. I want Maura to experience the excitement that I feel whenever I walk into this ballpark. This is indeed what Boston is all about. "Come on Maura, let's go explore." As the corridors are crowded, Maura inserts her arm through mine and we walk together and let no one come between us. After a shot of tequila, we head to our seats.

As we sit in our seats, I turn to look at Maura as she is scanning the ballpark. The inquisitive look on her face keeps me enthralled to just to explore her face. Her expression is marked with a child's like look of awe as she looks around the stadium. I can understand that, who wouldn't at their first time at Fenway.

The intros are done and the national anthem is in the books. On with the game – Play Ball. The air is electric with the prospect of the upcoming season. I sit back in my seat and watch Maura do the same. The first pitch is a strike and the crowd cheers.

During the game, I explain to Maura the different aspects of the game. The Yankees, unfortunately, are doing a number on my team and I have to explain why my defense has not been able to cover those balls in the infield. Maura is catching on.

"Jane, that was a curve ball that he hit for a double". I listen to her and smile. Yes, she is learning.

"Did you know that in April of 1912, ….." Maura went on to tell me all about opening day in the first season of the ballpark. Truth be told, I was not listening to her, other than enjoying her. By this point, we had a few beers and a few shots in us, and she was starting to lean into me. I was enjoying that, probably more than I care to admit.

"He is going to throw a slider!" she screamed. "Maura, please! He's going to throw a curve" and then the pitcher threw a slider and struck out the Red Sox.

"Damn it!" I say.

"Look at me Jane, I can go into another profession!" She says with a smirk on her face.

The usher comes by selling items. As Maura leans into me, she looks deep into my eyes and says "Jane, I want a finger. Please, give me the finger". I instantly feel a tinging in my core as she looks at me with an innocence and yet a desire that I can sense burning. Oh damn, does she know what she is saying? I cannot help but be captured by her beautiful green eyes. They are alive and sparkling. What feels like a minute late, I attempt to break this trance. This woman will be the death of me, I can feel that.

I get the attendant's attention and purchase my friend a foam finger that says Go Sox.

"Thank you, Jane, Go Sox!" I scream. I am very much enjoying our day together and have been sitting closer to her as the game goes on. I could blame it on the beers she continues to buy for us, but I know that I am attributing it to my desire to get close to her. She is so happy and so absorbed in this game and it is nice to see her relaxing.

For a few moments, I have to train myself into the here and now of the game. My body is still tingling from her invitation, and I remind myself it is just for a foam finger. If only it wasn't. If only it was for a finger and maybe a little foreplay beforehand.

I stop myself. Remember, you are here to watch your Beloved Red Sox and not the woman who is your closest friend.

Mookie Bettis is up to bat and hits a home run! The crowd goes wild and I stand up to cheer along with the rest of Fenway. Maura stands with me and I give her a celebratory hug. She in turn hugs me back. Time stands still as our hug deepens and what seems the rest of the stadium goes silent. I do not care; I just know she is in my arms and I feel her against me. I feel her breast trying to absorb mine and I wish it was so.

"Jane, how much longer is this game?" I whisper into her ear. I just want to get her to my house and spend some time with her alone instead of with all these screaming fans.

I grab her hand and walk us towards the steps and out to the corridor to our exit. While I have adored the game, I just want to spend time alone with this woman. "Come on Maura, follow me".

I enjoy the fact she has slipped her hand into mine and has led me out of the stadium. I notice that our hands seem to fit perfect together and I wonder what the rest of our bodies would do. Damn it, this Is not what I should be thinking of my delicious detective who happens to be my coworker.

"Here's the car, please get in", I say. I feel more grounded getting back to my vehicle and sitting in the driver seat. As we maneuver out of the parking garage, she puts on the radio to a'50's station. I sense she is still under the influence of the beer judging by her moves to the songs. It is refreshing to see her let go to the music and dance. She really is a good singer when she tries. Well, at least when she has had a bit to drink.

Pulling into her driveway, I stop the car and help my beautiful friend out of the car. She has a rose look about her cheeks and is looking at me like I am her person. It is hard to remember that she is just a friend at times, and this is one of them. If only I could release my inner demons and just explore the love I feel for her. Wait, what? Love. No. It's too soon, she is a friend and she is a SHE.

We enter my house. "Thank you for the most fabulous day, my dearest friend." I turn and walk up the stairs to the bedroom to change into comfy clothes. I do not know what to expect when I come down.

I grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator and argue with myself if I should leave before she comes down. My heart says yes, but my body wants to see what she is wearing.

She comes down in a t-shirt and yoga pants. Some would be disappointed by the sight, but I am not. She looks lovely with her hair cascading down over her shoulders and her legs stretching to the floor. She is a vision, and yet I remind myself to remember she is just a friend.

"Um, I gotta go. I hope you had a good time today at the game. I liked having you there with me." There, a nice sentence a friend would say to another.

I embrace her in another hug, as I want a repeat of the hug we shared earlier today. This one is so much more. I hold her as close as I can and she returns the jester. My nerves feel every inch that she has put against my body.

Damn, I think to myself. How am I supposed to keep her as a friend when she holds me like this? Damn it, why does she have to be a woman. And a beautiful woman at that?

"Ok, good night Maura, thanks again". I release her and walk to my car. The sooner I get home, the better.

Jane left fairly quickly. At this point, I change into my night clothes and come downstairs wearing a robe. I pour myself a glass of wine and reflect on today. It was indeed special.

On the other side of town, I walk into my apartment and grabs Jo Friday for a walk. He is happy to me and surprisingly I feel the same. We walk outside, stopping at every tree of course and enjoying the quiet night air. My thoughts are on earlier today. It was a perfect day, I smiled to myself.

Later in bed, I cannot help but think about the time I had with Maura. She is such a sweet friend. My mind replays helping to take her shoe off, and then the look of want in her eyes when she asked for the finger. Oh, it's a little too much.

My hand starts traveling south down my body. I cannot help it, and say to no one in particular "shit!". I touch myself and feel the wetness that is there. My body seems to be thinking of her and so are my fingers. Damn it.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you for the feedback. As I still considering myself a new writer, I appreciate your confusion on the POVs of the story. Please be patient, I'm still learning my style of writing. Hopefully this is better and a much easier read. Please enjoy, and thank you for your patience. It truly means the world to me.**

"Hi Jane, this is Maura. Guess what? I am returning the favor that took me to Fenway last week. I have booked us a day at the spa to relax and rejuvenate. When I talk to you, I will give you the details. Oh Jane, this is going to be wonderful!".

Jane heard the message left on her cell phone and cringed. What the fuck, she thought. A day at the spa does not sound like something a bad ass detective would enjoy. However, this is Jane Rizzoli and this gift was given to her by one Maura Isles. And, better yet, it would be a day spent with Maura as well. Bingo!

Jane redials Maura's number and reaches her after the third ring. "Maura, what is this spa day thingy you are taking me to?"

"Oh Jane, you are going to love it. I booked us the "Couple's Experience" for Saturday. We are going to have a pedicure, a manicure and soothing baths. It will be delicious!"

As Jane roles her eyes, she reminds herself that Maura sat through the baseball experience and at least she can do is sit through this. After all, she was going to spend time with Maura, so it must be a wi- win situation.

"Okay, sure, I would love to spend Saturday being pampered. What do I need to bring?"

"Jane, you just need to come over at eight o'clock and I will drive us to the spa. Oh, this is so exciting! I cannot wait!"

"Oh me either" Jane says. It is a good thing that Maura cannot see her rolling her eyes at this thought. Jane was going to embark on this endeavor with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. All for Maura.

At the spa, which was located off the beaten path a bit outside of the Boston area, the two women exit the Prius heading towards their experience. The beautiful trees were hovering over the cottage that appeared to be the main building of the establishment.

"Come on Jane, let's go. We have ten minutes to spare before we are late for our appointment".

Jane rolls her eyes as she gets out of Maura's car. She would have felt better if the Medical Examiner would have let her drive. But no, Jane was the passenger in this journey towards "spa day". Oh how exciting, she thought.

Maura strolled into the establishment as if she owned it. Jane was afraid to ask if she did, so she decided against it. Better safe than sorry.

Maura checked the duo in to their appointment for the next three hours. The package consisted of facials, a manicure, a pedicure, the sauna and then the mud bath. She and Jane were presented with a glass of champagne while waiting in the lounge prior to going back to their first event. At this point, Jane was not minding because she was able to have a bit of alcohol to take the edge off the day. Not that Jane really minded, per say, it was something she herself would not spend money on. She knew that Maura did this as a way of saying thank you for taking her to the Boston Red Sox game a few weeks prior.

A tall balding man stepped out from one of the rooms and requested the ladies follow him. "My name is Peter and I will be with you today". Jane could not help herself and giggled because he swung his hips more than Maura. Oh boy, this is going to be fun, as she rolled her eyes.

The detective and medical examiner were shown to a private locker room. "Please remove your clothing and wrap yourselves in the body towel in the locker. From there, I will show you to the sauna. I will be right outside when you are ready". He shuts the door and Jane looks at Maura.

"Um, I will change over here" Jane says as she grabs a towel. She turns her back to Maura and begins to take off her shoes. Maura decides to turn around also to give the Detective her privacy and undresses as well. There is clanging of the lockers as their discarded wardrobe is placed inside and locked. The women are back to back in their towels as Maura calls Peter.

Peter takes the women through another door and towards the sauna. "Ladies, as you can see from the thermometer on the wall, the sauna is currently 175 degrees. I will come get you out after 13 minutes, but if you feel ill while in there, please come out. This is the first step in the process of releasing the toxins from your body. Afterwards, you will take a cold shower and then the next experience will be soaking in the mud bath. Here is your water and feel free to remove your towel to get the full experience, as I am sure it will make you hotter in each other's presence - Enjoy!"

Jane could have sworn that Peter winked at Maura before closing the door behind him. This is her first time being in a spa, and now she is alone in a sweat room with Maura wearing a towel. She thinks to herself that this is what friends do for fun and reminds herself that she would be better off looking straight ahead and not towards Maura.

"So, what do you think, isn't it beautiful in here? The wood has such a lovely shine to it. I just love feeling the heat, don't you?" Was it only Jane's imagination or was Maura just talking gibberish.

"Yeah, this is ok" Jane says and looks over at Maura. Maura had her hair up in a towel and had her body towel rather low along her breasts. There was quite a bit of cleavage being shown, and Jane had to remind herself to look at her friend's eyes and not that valley that has a sweat bead traveling in between.

Maura notices Jane's eyes on her chest and could not stop the smirk from forming on her face. "Jane, don't forget to sip your water to keep yourself hydrated. We have quite the stimulating day ahead".

Maura had no problem being around Jane in just a towel. Truth be told, she wanted to remove the towel just to watch her best friend's reaction. Maura leaned against the back of the sauna and pointed her face towards the ceiling.

Jane, on the other hand, was attempting to distance her mind from the beautiful woman who was almost naked beside her. Her thoughts began to cycle through all of the boys and men she has had a crush on in her life. Unfortunately, none of those thoughts could compare to the blonde before her. Much to her disappointment and to her unfortunate realization.

"We have only been in here eight minutes and I am ready to take my towel off".

"Please don't!" Jane said with a raised voice. That was not quite how she wanted to come across, desperate perhaps, but forceful. "Sorry Maura, I find it really hot in here and I am ready to move to the next experience".

Sighing, Maura agreed. After all, she was a doctor and did not want to push her best friend's health. They decided to call Peter and move on. Peter opened the door and seemed to be disappointed to see both women still dressed in their towels with Jane having a red face. Perhaps she was not able to handle the heat.

"This way ladies" Peter says as he leads them back to the locker room with adjoining showers. "The next part of this cleansing regiment is to take a cold shower to shock the body, and then the next experience is the mud bath. Please take a cold shower and let me know when you are presentable. Remember that the adjoining mud bath is for couples only and is a nude experience."

Oh shit, Jane thinks. There is only so much of her mind that she can shut off at one time, and this scenario was too much. Damn, maybe she did need a cold shower. The thought depressed her, because she thought she could remove whatever emotions she was feeling towards Maura and just enjoy the day. Alas, her body and mind would not let her without a fight.

Maura could see the turmoil on her friend's face and decided to go ahead with a cold shower. She could use one as she was hot and bothered by being this close to Jane. She threw her towel over to the dirty towel bin and walked over to the shower.

Jane could not help but watch her beautiful friend walk before her. Damn, for a straight woman, she was feeling reactions that she should not. Jane sighed and told a cold shower herself. Meanwhile, Maura could not help but peek behind her to study the rock-hard ass of her friend. Damn, she thought.

After wrapped in towels, Peter took them to the singular mud bath the women were to share. Oh Fuck, Jane thought. Each woman got in, careful not to look or touch the other until successfully emerged in the mud. Peter then gave each woman a glass of sparking cucumber water and cucumbers for over their eyes. At this point, Jane was hungry and ate hers.

"Jane, what are you doing?" Maura asks. She could not help but giggle at her friend. You could take her out of her comfort zone, but she would still be Jane.

Jane shrugs her shoulders and asks for Maura's cucumbers. Maura gives in to her friend, as she felt guilty for subjecting her to this day. Maura looks sad, but Jane is trying to make the best of it and get the hell out of there.

Each woman relax in the mud, as it is warm and rather appealing, and try to forget that the object of their affection is nearby. Maura has no problem admitting to herself that she has a thing for her Detective. Jane, on the other hand, is still trying to tell herself that she is not attracted to this beautiful nude woman beside her in the mud. Thoughts of Casey and their past times together help at least somewhat.

Peter comes in, and asks the women to head towards the showers to wash the mud off. The two shower heads are about three feet apart. DAMN, Jane thinks, why don't I just give in and help wash the mud from every crevice on Maura's fit body!? At this point, Jane thinks she will just go along with this thought that even though the purchased package was for a couple, she was Maura's friend and would treat her as such. She reverts to the back of her mind and reminds herself of the scales she learned earlier as a child on the piano. This helps to focus on something other than Maura

The water is hot and helps Jane to unwind. Maura, on the other hand, wants to take matters into her own hands. Seeing the look on her friend, she gives up and goes alone with the package deal in hopes of getting out of her sooner rather than later.

After the pedicure and manicures, Jane is more than ready to get out of there. Maura feels defeated at the lack of acceptance from Jane of her feelings towards her. Maura sadly wonders if there will ever come a day when Jane breaks down and accepts her as a girlfriend, and to be comfortable with that choice. A real girlfriend that she would love with all of her heart.

Driving back, Maura pulls in front of Jane's home and thanks her for coming along with her. Maura has resigned that nothing more is going to happen between them other than friendship.

"Thank you for taking me to spa day. I know you were doing this to return the favor of showing me a good time after I took you to Fenway, and I appreciate that. What I would like to do as a gift in return of your gift, is to take you camping. Would be willing to spend a few nights with me under the stars?"

Maura's heart skips a beat at Jane's question. "Yes, I would love to".

Jane just smiles and begins her plan for their next adventure.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you again for your feedback while I try to find my sea legs for this journey. All mistakes are mine but only in my stories. I'm not **_**that**_** good. **

"I am excited to go camping with you in a cabin!" Maura says as she is having a glass of wine across from her best friend at the Dirty Robber.

"Um, Maura, we are actually going to be in a tent" Jane says. She has made arrangements to pick up the two-person tent from Frankie over the weekend. Jane will also pick up two sleeping bags from her Ma's place that were used as kids. This is going to be great!

"What do you mean by a 'tent' Jane? Are we really going to be roughing it?" Maura was beginning to be concerned with her arrangements; however, she also starting getting an idea in her head to bring her and Jane closer.

"Yeah, we will sleep on the ground in a tent in that campground that I sent you that was by the lake. This is going to be great Maura, you will see!" Jane was trying her best to make this excursion as comfortable for her best friend as possible. She was very much looking forward to spending two days in the woods by the lake alone with Maura. They would be fishing for their dinner and unwinding their day off the lake by the fire under the stars. Two days of relaxation and getting to know each other under nature's sky.

"But Jane, what are we going to do for the bathroom if nothing is near us?"

"Well, I am bringing along a roll of toilet paper for our convivence and we get to use nature's resources. I promise to give you your privacy while you give me mine for those moments". Jane looks across the table at her best friend. She sees Maura discretely looking at the bartender as if to ask for another glass of wine.

"Oh Jane, this is going to be fun! Make sure that you dress for colder temperatures, as it is only the end of April.".

"Well, just be ready tomorrow when I pick you up at eight and we will drive to our camp sight to get it set up before nightfall." Jane had a laundry list of things to do to prepare for their weekend trip.

Maura, on the other hand, was wondering what she should bring along in order to show Jane that she was interested in her as more than a best friend. Oh, this was going to be interesting to say the very least.

Jane had a hard time sleeping the night before, as she continued to go over the checklist of times to bring along on the camping trip she was planning with her best friend. On one hand, she was excited to be alone in the woods with Maura; on the other hand, she knew that Maura was a co-worker and friend and should remain only that. Jane had to put up her walls in order to get through this weekend without letting her emotions get the best of her. The hope was to just show Maura what a great time being outdoors for two days could bring to the soul. In Jane's deepest thoughts, she also wanted to see what sounds that Maura would make as she slowly made love to her under the stars. Stop, Stop! These are not the thoughts to have for your female best friend when you are female yourself. Damn.

Jane arrived the next morning with her car prepared for their weekend getaway. As she pulled up to Maura's house, she was greeted in the driveway by the Medical Examiner. Jane shut off the engine as her friend was waiving her into her home.

"Jane, we are going to take my car, no arguments. Please pack my car with the things you have packed for us while I get my last bit of items to bring along. Oh Jane, I am so very excited!".

Jane reluctantly unpacked her car and stuffed the camping gear into Maura's Prius. She could not see all the gear that Maura was bringing and was afraid to find out what else was in there. Jane was not about to argue, as the drive to Lake Winnipesaukee In New Hampshire was roughly a two-hour journey and she was anxious to get out of town.

The traffic was not bad, Jane thought, although she would not have minded. It was a cool brisk day with the sun shining and the trees were in bloom. Spring was here and everyone was happy. Looking over at Maura, she would tell her friend was relaxing and enjoying the drive.

Maura made sure to pack items to ensure that she would have at least have some comforts from home. She had never been on a camping trip that did not involve a cabin, so while she was excited to be alone in the woods with Jane, she also wanted her creature comforts.

Two and a half hours later, the ladies arrived. Jane was able to check in and received a map of the lake. She informed the park service as to where Jane and Maura had selected to camp out for the next few nights. She continued to drive down the main paved road and took a sharp turn towards the water. This road was rather bumpy, but Jane made sure to drive slowly to keep Maura's car safe.

Jane stopped the car about 50 yards away from the water front and turned off the engine. She turned over to look at Maura, who was starring wide-eyed at the lake. "Oh Jane, the water looks amazing! What do we do first?"

"First thing is first, let's get out of the car and look around our camp site. Then we will set up our tent and gather wood for the fire and cooking".

Maura reaches behind her and pulls out a large sun blocking hat to wear. Jane cannot help but giggle at the sight of her friend roughing it out in the woods with her big hat and sunglasses. The ladies walk over to the water and are taking in the view of the dark blue water with trees and mountains under the bright sun. Both women were absorbed in their own thoughts when Jane broke the trance.

"Come on Maura, let's get our place set up". She begins to look at the ground for a good cleared spot to set up the tent. The preference is to have the tent facing the water, and then build their lounging area between the two.

"Jane, did you pack a broom? There is a lot of dirt here."

Jane couldn't help but shake her head to make sure she heard her right. She stops to look at Maura. "Um, why would you think I would bring a broom? We are outside, you know". For a genius, sometimes Maura wasn't quite so smart. Jane found this funny and an endearing quality, and she would not trade her for the world.

"Let's get the tent out of the car. You need to help me set it up". Jane walks over to the car and pulls out the green bag containing the tent. She could not remember the last time she and Frankie used it, but was grateful that it was still in the family. This would do nicely in protecting the girls against the harsh spring winds that occur at night. Finally after struggling with the contraption for twenty minutes, in between cussing and giggling, the girls have the tent up.

"OK, now let's unpack the sleeping bags". Maura interrupted "Just a second Jane, first we need to blow up the air mattress. Could you help me with that first please?"

Air mattress? Since when is that roughing it in a tent? Once again, Jane watched Maura get the box containing the mattress and begins to unpack it. It never fails to amaze her what Maura thinks of. "Jane, it is only a queen size, and I believe it will fit nicely inside, don't you agree?"

"Yeah Maura, this should be fine" Jane says. Oh what the hell, she thinks. It is not like she is a spring chicken anymore, so she will roll with it. Giggling, she thinks whatever Maura wants.

After an hour or so of fumbling with the make-shift lodging and camp sight, Jane and Maura set off to gather some wood to build a fire. It dawned on Jane, now that the initial setup was complete, that her shoulders are beginning to relax. She had desperately needed to get away, and was excited to show Maura the lake she and her family visited during her childhood.

"I have to use the rest room. Can you drive me back to the park service area please?"

"Remember, I told you about this. We use the bathroom out here in the wild. Now, apparently is a good time to scope out where we will be going".

Maura goes back to her car giggling. "Since you did not bring it up, help me with this". Jane slowly walks over to the car suspiciously and sees a portable potty in the trunk. Rolling her eyes, she helps Maura set it up. Maura even packed toilet paper that had crossword puzzles over it. What the hell? "Let's put this over here" as Maura carries the plastic gadget over behind the large bush about 30 feet from the tent. She then walks back to the car and gets out a large yellow shower cloth curtain. "I thought this would come in handy. Help me wrap it around for some privacy please."

Damn, maybe Maura's next job should be the leader of a Girl Scouts troop. Jane was beginning to feel inadequate and yet quite amused at the same time.

Jane is already tired from the steady stream of tasking that Maura has dished out. "What are we going to do while we are here?" Jane cannot help but be glad that she has never had children, because Maura was wearing her out. "Well, I would like to sit in my chair for a bit and just look out at the water. How about tomorrow we go boating and today we fish along the water's edge? I am hoping we can catch either rainbow trout or bass for dinner tonight".

"Oh Jane, that sounds wonderful and it will be paired so nicely with the wine I brought." Wine, what the hell? Oh this was going to be an interesting trip, Jane thought. "What else did you bring Maura? Did you fit a boat in the back of your Prius too?"

"I considered that, but I read online that we can rent a boat while we are here". Maura says.

"Never mind" she says while rolling her eyes.

Later, Jane showed Maura how to bait her hook and cast into the lake. "Now Maura, this is where you have to be patient and quiet. Hopefully you will be able to attract a fish."

"JANE, I GOT SOMETHING!" Jane drops her rod, still dry and without bait, and stands behind Maura. Maura begins to crank the reel but is having difficulty. "Jane, this must be the Loch Ness Monster, although we are far from Scotland, and I do not believe that the water…"

"Reel Maura, Reel! Keep turning and pulling". Jane grabs the pole from behind Maura and helps her to reel in the fish. While Maura is having the time of her life fighting with this fish, she is also heavily enjoying the feel of Jane pressed against her backside with her arms wrapped around her. Jane, on the other hand, is giving it all she's got to get this creature on shore. As the fish comes closer, Jane takes the line with her hand and lifts up the fish. It is a largemouth bass and will serve as dinner for two.

"Jane, take my picture! I am going to call it 'Nessie'. What do you think?" Jane just laughs. This was too cute for words as Maura and Nessie pose. Jane makes a mental note to frame the picture and give it to Maura later.

After all the excitement was over, Jane started the fire with ease and began cooking the fish. The sun was beginning to set and she was context just watching her friend look at nature's scenery. To Jane, the perfect scenery was the calmness that overcame Maura and the peaceful look upon her face. My God, Maura is so beautiful and she does not even realize it. That is what makes her the most attractive.

Maura must have sensed that Jane was observing her and turned around. Eyes met eyes across the fire, as each was searching for an answer within each other to a question unknown to either. As the fire crackled, Jane looked away towards her cooking responsibility. Maura could not help but wonder if Jane also felt what was between them. How could she not?

As the fish was done, Maura set out to prepare the rest of the meal. She opened the cooler and produced a screw top bottle of Chardonnay, a Tupperware bowl and a small loaf of bread. Jane split the fish between two plates and Maura added kale salad to each. Jane watched Maura like a hawk to verify she filled her wine glass to the top since she was being forced to eat something green.

"Here's to Nessie, you me and whatever just howled in the distance. Cheers!"

After the meal was over, Jane thanked Maura for being an outstanding fisherwoman, thanks to her extreme talent as a teacher. While the fire and the wine were warm, the night air was rather chilly. The women were enjoying their time by the camp fire and it was nearing time to go to bed.

"But wait Maura, there is more, or should I say s'mores. I'll be right back". Jane goes to the car and digs out the ingredients for s'mores and a bottle of Jack Daniels.

"This is our family tradition. After dinner, we would each make s'mores and then have a shot of Jack Daniels to wrap up the day."

"You expect me to believe that Angela let you and Frankie have whiskey?" Maura eyes Jane.

"I never said she let us have whiskey, I said that we had whiskey! Ah, the good ol' days".

Jane builds one for Maura and herself and shows her how to hold it over the fire. She looks up and cannot help but watch Maura's expressions as the ingredients melt together. "Now try it, but be careful, it's hot". Maura takes a bite of the slimy mess and rolls her eyes in the back of her head. "Oh My God Jane, this is almost better than sex!" she moans.

Jane cannot look away from Maura as she watches her slowly eat her dessert. Jane's, in fact, falls off the stick and into the fire, causing Maura to laugh uncontrollably at the hurt expression on her friend's face at her fallen prize. "Here, you are always welcome to eat mine" she says, while looking deep into her eyes. The roar of the fire and the crickets were suddenly screaming in her ear. Time seemed to stand still.

Jane takes a moment to steady her nerves while taking the top off the Jack Daniel's bottle. Maura's flirting was getting to her and she could feel the butterflies in her stomach. If only she could be sure that Maura really did want that, want her, and that she was capable of giving in to her feelings. She smirks while lifting the bottle to her lips, and takes a large gulp.

"I would love to, but it looks like you have eaten it all" Jane says and hands the bottle to Maura.

Maura takes the bottle and enjoys an equally large gulp. "I still have some left on my fingers if you would like to sample them".

**To be continued…**


	6. Chapter 6

Jane grabs the bottle from Maura and takes another gulp. "Um Maura, I think it is time to get ready for bed" she says. She was starting to sweat and feel like jumping into the Prius to back to Boston. The thought of going further than friendship with Maura was unnerving to say the least. First off, she did not believe she was gay. Secondly, she had absolutely no idea on how to make love to a woman. Thirdly, this was Maura. Maura, who had experienced so much in her life, to be sure the most perfect lover in her past. Jane felt that was not her.

Also, truth be told, Jane was afraid of taking the step of being with a woman. She was not afraid of pleasing the other woman. Not at all, on the contrary, Jane was afraid of what it meant to be with another woman. Did that mean she would never go back to men? Would she be scared, or would she find that this was what she has been looking for all her life? Finally, the solved mystery of Jane.

Maura goes to their bathroom and then heads into their tent. "Give me a moment please to change into different clothing" she says. Jane just nods, as she looks longingly back at the fire. She has a feeling of anxiety and depression at the same time. The emotions are just racing thought her. And yet, there is a feeling of excitement as if what would happen if she would wonder into the tent and Maura would try to seduce her. The thought made Jane's heart beat faster. But who was she kidding, that was not going to happen, as she realized. Depression sets in… This was not fair.

Jane pushes aside the yellow curtain and uses the bathroom. She could not help but giggle at the thought of yellow for a bathroom curtain. Sometimes with her sense of humor, she felt she was a twelve year-old boy trapped in a woman's body. At the moment, she was suddenly curious as to how Maura was going to empty this gadget. Anything to escape her curtain predicament.

As Jane came back to the fire, she noticed that Maura had gone inside the tent. "Maura, I am going to put out the fire and then I will come, okay?" She is trying to calm her raging emotions and remember that she was with her coworker, a dear friend and nothing more.

"That's fine Jane, I am already dressed for sleep". Maura decides to take things slow after Jane's sudden departure into the woods after her flirtatious remarks. She is going to keep it timid until or unless Jane has other thoughts.

Jane carefully stubs out the fire with her feet and makes sure the flames are extinguished. Mentally, she hopes that whatever flames Maura may have are out as well. Her heartbeat tells her that she is not ready to make that next move, much against her body's reaction. Ah, the mind plays quite the crucial role, never forget.

As Jane moves the flap of the tent, she notices that Maura is on the right side zipped inside of her sleeping bag on the air mattress. Jane cannot help but notice how absolutely adorable she looks and is holding back on kissing her best friend good night before settling in for the evening. She crawls over to the left side of the tent.

Jane crawls into her sleeping bag and zips herself in for the night. She tells herself as she is facing away from Maura that dawn will come soon enough and there's another day to get through. She closes her eyes and prays she can fall asleep quickly.

Ten minutes later, Maura says "Jane, I am going down!"

This makes Jane's eyes quickly open up. "Excuse Me Maura, what are you talking about?" As she says this, she notices a sound of air escaping and the air mattress moving closer to the ground.

"Jane, I am assuming that is not you escaping gas, am I correct? I know you had kale tonight for dinner".

Jane rolls her eyes at the comments. "Sure Maura, I had a can of beans to go with my kale salad tonight!" as she rolls her eyes. She cannot help but laugh at the feeling of sinking further to the ground.

"Well shit, now what are we going to do? I cannot sleep on the ground like this, Damn it!"

Jane cannot help but laugh at the sudden boldness of Maura's bad words. But whoa, this was kind of sexy!

"Ok, I got it Maura, no big deal. Let's put one sleeping bag on the bottom and the other one on top of us. Unless you have a set of 300 Egyptian Cotton sheets that you brought along."

"Don't be silly Jane, I usually buy a much larger grade than that!" Maura says. But of course.

"Fine, but this way, at least we are not sleeping completely on the ground.

Maura thinks it over and realizes that she would now no longer have a boundary between her and Jane. This was excellent! She unzips her sleeping bag and settles it down to be the bottom sheet for the two. Jane, in turn, unzips hers and uses it as a blanket. Getting settled, Jane faces away from Maura and wishes her a good night. Maura moves closer to Jane to help with absorbing body heat in order to stay warm. Damn, it was cold tonight and she shed her heart to snuggle close to her best friend.

Maura listens to her best friend's breathing as it settles down and falls into a sleeping pattern. Jane, in turn, does her best to calm her body to a resting position in order to listen to the night's sounds as she drifts off to sleep.

A few hours later, a howling in the distance woke Jane from a deep slumber. She immediately notices that her best friend is snuggled right up behind her and has her arm draped over her waist. She tries her best not to move in order to not disturb Maura as she tries to calm her mind down. The feel of her body so close to hers was comforting and yet scary as hell. Damn it, she should not be feeling these mixed emotions, she tells herself. The only thing she should feel is friendly warmth.

Instead, Jane is feeling an overwhelming urge to roll over and watch Maura sleep. Maybe she would put a lose strand of Maura's hair behind her ear and then just study her sleeping profile. Perhaps she would move closer to feel more of her body against hers. Or maybe she would place a gentle kiss on her lips to see if she would wake up.

Sure Jane, she thinks to herself, these are the thoughts one thinks of their same gendered best friend. She is contemplating going outside the tent for a bit to gather her thoughts when Maura shifts in her sleep. She drew closer to Jane and spooned her legs closer to Jane's long limbs. Jane wonders of she should turn over and tell her to scoot over, and then Maura reaches for her hand. As Jane stills, Maura in her sleep state links her fingers together with that of Jane's and sighs.

Jane thinks for sure that Maura will wake up at any moment and be embarrassed by their current predicament. After all, she is. And yet, while she takes a moment to calm her loudly-beating heart, she must confess that being wrapped up by Maura is a little slice of heaven. In fact, it feels so warm and comforting that she allows herself to relax and enjoy it. Soon enough, both women are asleep while holding hands and secret affections.

An hour later after the sun has risen, Maura awakes with a jolt. "Jane, get up! We have to go fishing for our meals today!"

Jane opens her eyes with a start and feels all the places on her body that Maura is touching. Humm, if only she could wake up like this every day. Um, with her friend, yeah, just her friend.

"Ok Maura, you get up first, then I will join you in a minute" she sleepily says. Secretly, she hopes Maura remains still.

Being Maura, she springs up and grabs some items out of her bag. "Jane, I know it's cold, but I am going to jump in the lake to refresh myself. Are you joining me?"

Jane sighs. "Do I have to?" as she gets up and starts to find her bathing suit. This is not what she wants to do first thing in the morning. She instead wants her black coffee and give it time to adjust her thinking. Instead, Maura wants to jump into the ice-cold water.

"Don't peak Jane, I am putting on my bathing suit" Maura lets Jane know. OMG, is what Jane thinks. What kind of sheer madness is she going to put on?

Maura makes her way to her bag and pulls out a white one-piece bathing suit. As she strips her clothes and puts on the suit, she is watching Jane for any sort of reaction. Nothing. Jane, on the other hand, has been closing her eyes as tight as possible. She is afraid and yet anxious to see the final product.

She comes out of the tent in a one-piece bathing suit that does not require the imagination to picture what is underneath. Jane looks up and is enthralled by the lovely sight, once again realizing that it is hard to keep her on a friendly brain wave length.

"Hi, you look amazing" Jane says to her friend. Jane's bathing suit is one for comfort and yet it shows off her assets perfectly. She quickly covers herself in a towel and begins to walk towards the water. With that, Maura realizes to herself that she indeed has a plan to get Jane. She can admit that she wants to be more than friends with the sexy detective and is willing to pull out the stops in order to progress their relationship.

"You sure you wanna do this? The water is going to be pretty damn cold."

With that, Maura walks out to the bolder at the edge of the water, turns back to Jane as if daring and jumps in. She emerges from the dark blue water, flips her hair back and urges her friend to join her. Jane's eyes are transfixed on the sight of the ME. There is something within her that is holding her back, and yet it is propelling her forward. She follows Maura's lead and jumps in.

"Holy Mother of God!"

"See Jane, I told you this would be refreshing." Maura couldn't help but look, or study the brunette as she surfaced from under the chilly water. She swims towards her friend as Jane is gathering her wits about her. The water is cold, yes, but not that cold, although both of their bodies say otherwise.

Jane joins Maura, who has been laughing at her friend the entire time. "Gee Maura, are you trying to kill me?!" Maura gets up close and personal to Jane and wraps her arms and legs around her.

"I will keep you warm" Maura says. Jane is turning red, although she is not quite sure if it is due to the cold water or to her friend's body pressed against her. Either way, the water isn't quite that bad now. Oh shit…. Just the emotions to be showing a best friend, yeah, right….

Maura, on the other hand, is happy to have Jane in her arms. They are bobbing up and down in the lake in the cold water and this is affecting her in the most sensual of ways.

Jane is feeling excited and yet uncomfortable in this situation. "Um, I'm gonna swim to the shore now. See you there." Jane dejectedly turns and swims towards the shore alone.


	7. Chapter 7

As Jane helps herself out of the water, she cannot help but feel bad for not spending time with Maura in the water. Truth be told, her body reacted a lot quicker than her mind did and it scared her. She has been dealing with the Catholic guilt of having lustful thoughts for her female best friend, and having the human thought of wanting to devour her friend from head to toe. All in all, this was exhausting as heck. She goes back to the tent and changes into the day's attire.

Maura has been fluttering about in the water trying to calculate her next move. She was trying to analyze all the data points that she received over the past half hour. From what her calculations tell her, Jane is not ready to come onto her. Alas, Maura tells herself to accept the fact and just get on with the rest of the weekend. She feels sad, but then reminds herself that she is still with someone she loves for at least the next day. That should be considered a blessing.

Jane emerges from the tent with wet hair and dressed in jeans and a purple sweater. She looks relaxed and ready to face the day. She heads towards the fire pit and begins to light it up for breakfast. Maura walks into the tent swathed in a blanket to cover her body. Her original plan was to let Jane see how chilly she was, and hopefully Jane would come to her rescue and warm her up. That idea to Maura went out the window as she would be playing it safe and reminding herself to treat her as a friend, and as a friend only.

After breakfast, Jane gets ready to go to the park service in order to bring the canoe back to camp. Today will be on the water. They will boat and fish for dinner and just in case, the women brought provisions for the evening. Jane ask Maura if there is anything she needs before heading to the office to get the canoe.

After Jane takes the car, Maura stays behind to watch over their camp. Also, she realizes that she needs some time to be alone with her thoughts. There are a lot of emotions she is trying to process and doesn't quite know what to do. After sitting by the fire and just starring into the flames, she becomes self-aware and thinks of a way to relieve the tension she is feeling. She looks around the deserted area and realizes that she is happily alone and can do what she wants. With that in mind, she enters the tent.

With thoughts of her friend, Maura lays down and puts her hand into her jeans and into her panties. As Maura thinks of Jane, she's becoming wet and highly aroused. Her thoughts turn to her detective and what it would be like to make love to her as slow as possible and then again not so slowly. She is happy for the escape and enjoys the sensation that is between her legs. She imagines Jane kissing her and then trailing her lips down her neck Afterwards, her kisses center around her left breast and then finally her right. Maura imagines Jane palming her breasts in a show of ownership. The feel of her hand caressing her wetness while imagining her friend makes Maura moan out loud.

Jane arrives back at camp with the canoe on top of the Prius. Having some time away from Maura helped her to gather herself and mentally prepare for the day ahead. She locks the car door and calls for Maura.

Maura emerges from the tent with a guilty smile about her that Jane immediately notices. She wonders what is up with her friend to put that grin on her face. Maura, almost caught in the act, hasn't had a chance to freshen up after her little escapade. As she walks towards the detective, Maura takes her right middle finger and puts it in her mouth to suck it clean.

Jane feels the shock waves hit her core as she now realizes why Maura is glowing. As she watches her friend, Jane cannot think of a more erotic sight than Maura tasting herself right in front of her. Holy Mother of God! Jane wants nothing more than to take that finger and place it deeply into her mouth to taste all that Maura has to offer.

"Let me help you with the canoe, but first I have to use the ladies' room, then I'll be right back"

"What? Oh yeah, right. Help me, sure."

As Maura goes to the yellow curtain, Jane lets herself exhale and quickly tries to quench the desire that is coursing through her body. Surely her eyes and instincts failed her and Maura wasn't licking her finger after she used it on herself. No no no, Maura wouldn't do that. Or would she?

"Are you ready Jane? I am!" The ME grabs her hat and walks towards the car.

"Oh, I am too Maura, I am too." Oh yeah, the canoe.

The girls grab the boat and head towards the water. Maura drops her end of the canoe and races back to the tent. She grabs a bottle of wine and rejoins Jane. She situates herself inside the boat and says "Push me in to the water".

Oh how Jane would like to do just that. As she pushes Maura into the lake, she jumps in the canoe as it skims through the water. 100 yards from shore, Jane realizes that they left the fishing gear back at camp. Oh well, they have the wine and she was ready for a glass.

"Maura, can you please pour me glass?" Then the ME realizes that she left the glasses in the tent. Oh well, she twists open the top and hands it to Jane. "Sorry, the glasses are back at camp. You'll have to put your mouth on it" Maura says.

Taking the bottle, Jane says "With pleasure" as she takes a very healthy gulp of the vino while looking at Maura. It is Maura's turn to feel the butterflies in her stomach by being at the receiving end of a lustful look from Jane.

Being the lady that she is, Maura takes the bottle from Jane and, after a large sip, puts the top back on. "Row us over there please." Jane effortlessly propels the boat to the area in which Maura wanted them to go and then places the oars inside the boat and enjoys the scenery. It is so peaceful with just the sounds of birds chirping. It was then that Jane realizes Maura was humming.

"Oh Jane, it is so special being out here with you, it's so relaxing. Thank you for taking me here to camp the park that your family used to visit". She leans back to lay down and puts the hat over her face. Jane watches her friend and is endured by the sight of her.

Jane takes another sip of the wine and looks around the area. Near the shore, she spots three ducks. "Hey Maura, see the ducks?" Sitting up quickly, Maura says "excuse me, what did you say?!" As Jane points to the shore, Maura starts to giggle. "OH, I misheard you."

"What did you think I said? Do you want to OH MAURA, seriously?! Where is your mind today?"

"Sorry, it must be the wine. Or maybe the company."

Jane and Maura share a look. Feeling the moment between them, Jane breaks the contact and picks up the wine. Maura just looks away, puts her hat back on and says "We should get back so we can fish for dinner". She's frustrated with these moments that are happening more and more between her and Jane.

Jane picks up the oars and heads the boat back to their camp. The Medical Examiner keeps to herself and just enjoys the scenery. Jane, on the other hand, is questioning what is happening between them. She wishes she knew what Maura was thinking. Heck, at this point, she wished she knew what she herself was thinking. Alas, sighing, she realizes there is something there and it is hard to admit it.

She stops rowing and asks for the bottle again. "Jane, you've had almost half the bottle by yourself in a few minutes time. Are you alright? We need to get you some water." "I'm fine Maura, maybe for the first time in quite a while, I'm fine."

The girls disembark from the boat and make their way towards camp. "Let's leave the boat here beside the car to keep the water off of the car" Jane says. Maura just nods.

After the boat ride, both women are into their own thoughts and wanting and wishing to go forward to whatever was in store. Each of the ladies went into their own routine and got ready to fish for dinner. Even that was uneventful with not a lot of effort put forth. Both the women did not know what to think of the situation or of each other's thoughts.

After cooking dinner, the ladies stayed by the camp fire and just relaxed as the day was winding down. Jane was feeling a bit subdued as the realization of having feelings for Maura were slowly sinking in. She wasn't happy about it, but she also realized she could not outrun them. Instead of feeling happy, she was feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next.

Maura sensed that Jane was not quite herself as they stared at the fire as neither wanted smores after dinner, just relaxing by the warmth of the fire. Good friends who know each other can sit in silence, and this was one of those times. Unfortunately, Maura sensed that this was just a little bit different.

"Jane, I'm tired already. I will meet you in the tent. Good night." Maura used the make shift toilet and headed into the tent to get ready for bed. She felt that Jane was in need of time alone.

Jane sat by the fire alone as Maura had gone to bed. She stared at the ember and wondered what she should do about this new revelation. If only she could figure out what Maura wanted, maybe that would help her. Maybe if her Catholic guilt would stop interfering with her heart. Oh, to be a grown up with all these mixed emotions.

Jane decided to take the bull by the horns and go in for the kill. But first, she visited the yellow curtain. Afterwards, she stuffed out the fire in front of their tent and went in. As it was another chilly night, she climbed into the sleeping bag. Maura was on her side already asleep, and Jane snuggled up behind her. She placed her arm over her hip and, Maura in her sleep, locked fingers with her.

This is a feeling of acceptance, as a tear rolled down Jane's cheek. This is home. It didn't take her more than five minutes to fall into a peaceful sleep.

Both women awoke and were anxious to start the day. Neither talked about the way they woke up, spooned together like peanut butter and jelly. The girls were anxious to return to their homes and get ready for the week.

After breakfast, the ladies started breaking down the tent and packing the Prius for the ride home. Maura was sad to see the weekend go by so quickly, and she was also trying to read her friend. Jane was mainly quiet, quicker on her actions as almost stating that she wanted to go home and be away from her. Maura hoped that wasn't so.

After returning the canoe to the Park Service, the Prius headed towards Boston. The drive was thankfully quick for Jane, as she was ready for some time alone to digest her emotions. Maura wasn't quite sure what to make of the unusual quietness in Jane's behavior.

"Everything ok?" Maura asks.

"Yeah, of course. I'm just sadly thinking about our upcoming week ahead. I know I shouldn't, but I have a shit load of paperwork on my desk first thing Monday morning." Maura accepts this answer from her, or at least tries to.

As the Prius arrives at Maura's house, Jane turns off the car and begins unloading the vehicle. Maura helps her, as it is obvious that Jane wants their time to end. When the car was clear, Jane turned to Maura to wish her a good day.

"Jane, I'm thankful for this weekend. Thank you very much."

Jane, feeling overwhelmed, kissed Maura on the cheek and turned towards her car to make her escape.

Nothing felt better than for Jane to be at home alone with her thoughts. Well actually, to be alone, away from Maura. She decided to have a Jack and Coke minus the Coke for dinner, and take a soak in the bathtub to unwind. The emotions that were running through her were a bit overwhelming still. She was unsure what to do about them.

While in the tub, her phone dings with a message. It's Maura.

**Thank you again for the weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Good night, I miss you. **

Jane replies with** I miss you too, good night.**


	8. Chapter 8

Monday mornings were never Jane's favorite. Her alarm woke her up way too early and she had a week of early morning meetings. Ugh… She heads to the bathroom and turns on the hot water in the shower to wake up. As Jane steps in and feels the hot water, her mind turns to her best friend. Ugh again. Her thoughts zoomed in on how it felt to wake up snuggling against Maura in the tent the past two mornings. It felt natural and yet it felt scary at the same time. She had looked over at Maura when she was just waking up and she noticed a smile form on the woman's face. Could she have possibly been the source?

Jane towel dries her hair, brushes her teeth and heads for the closet. The irony does not fall far from her sense of humor, and she chuckles to herself. Thank goodness she is alone this morning, both with her thoughts and with her person. She picks out a soft pink V-neck shirt to go with her charcoal suite. Deciding to get coffee at the café this morning, she pours herself a glass of orange juice. It is also one of the few things in her refrigerator that is actually fresh, or freshly purchased. After all, expiration dates are for whimps.

Arriving at the café, Jane stands in line to purchase a donut and a cup of black coffee. She takes out her cell phone to check the latest Red Sox score, and looks up when she hears the not mistaken heels of Maura Isles. Jane turns her head and is greeted by her smiling best friend. The woman once again looks like she has stepped out of a fashion magazine. How is that possible?

Maura took longer than usual this morning getting ready for work. She wanted to wear something that would make Jane notice her. Little did she know, Jane noticed her more than she thought. Today, Maura put on a yellow and black blouse with a black skirt with a black pair of Jimmy's. Just another day for Maura. Jane, on the other hand, felt her mouth go dry at her lovely best friend.

"Mind if I join you?" Maura asks. She is happy to see Jane first thing, as the memory will get her through the dull morning. Jane gladly allows Maura to join her. "I am glad to see you, I have some news for you! I signed us up for a writing class tomorrow night. Please do not be concerned about the admission fee, I have it covered for the both of us."

Writing? Oh geez, what the heck now? "Maura, what's this about?"

"Well Jane, you took me away for two glorious nights camping, which is something that you feel comfortable doing. Now it is my turn again, and I have chosen for us a writing course. It is only a one-night lesson, as I felt the three-day course would not be to your liking. We can meet for dinner beforehand and go to the college afterwards. The class starts at eight."

Jane is far from excited about this latest adventure, although it is nice to know that she will be having dinner (and drinks) with Maura beforehand. Humm, a writing class. Oh, what the heck, it is something that Maura has planned and she will go along with it. It is only one night, hopefully.

The takeout order is ready and instead of sitting down, Jane has to go to her desk instead of going outside to eat. Maura is disappointed and tells her she will see her later. Jane takes in an eye full of her friend before the elevator closes. Well, if she has to have feelings for a woman, at least that woman is sexy as hell. And her same-sex best friend.

Tomorrow comes quickly for Jane. She is a little intimidated by this writing class, as most of her experience is documentation in homicide reports. Maura, on the other hand or at least she fells, will run rings around her. Oh well, at least she gets to spend more time with her.

The two ladies decide to meet for dinner before attending the class. The place of choice is a Thai restaurant where Jane orders her favorite, drunken noodles, and Maura orders some dish that Jane has never heard of. Naturally, Jane orders a beer and Maura decides to go with a dry white wine.

"So, are you as excited about this class as I am?" Maura asks. Jane, with a mouth full of noodles nods her head. Why does the Medical Examiner always ask her to talk when her mouth is full? Humm, this self-imposed question makes Jane's mind wander to places it should not.

"Yeah, Maur, I'm just as excited as you are! Unfortunately, I can not write worth a shit."

"Oh, come now, that is not true. I have seen you talk to people and all you have to do is transpose those words on paper. It is simply that simple. I have faith in you, you can do it. Please, it's just one night and I really want to do this."

Jane looks at her friend and realizes that this, for whatever reason, really does mean a lot to her. "Yeah, of course. I'll try my best, I promise".

"Well good, I will hold you to that."

As the ladies enter the classroom, Jane is giving the place a once-over. There seems to be enough people in attendance and the likelihood of her being called is low. To this, Jane is pleased. She and Maura find seats that are side by side in the middle of the classroom. Maura, of course, is disappointed that they are not in the front. Jane, however, is disappointed that they are not in the back.

The instructor walks in to a crowded classroom. Jane looks around and is surprised that there are so many people up for this crap, um, this artistic class, so early in the week.

"Hello, my name is Jack and I will be your facilitator for the evening. I would have said Instructor, but you are doing the work and will be sharing it with others. Therefore, you will be the instructor."

Jane rolls her eyes and glances at her friend who is smiling. Fine, Jane thinks, fake it until you make it in order to make Maura happy.

Maura does a once over on Jack. He is tall, lean and handsome, and then he spots Maura in the sea of students. Of course, she is a stand-out, by her dress and her beauty. Tonight, she was subdued in Maura terms, but to everyone else, she was quite the head turner. Maura returns the look, as her forte was flirting with her eyes, and after all, Jack was definitely eye candy.

"I am going to give you the assignment for tonight. Listen closely students, as we are all writers wanting to break free and express our innermost thoughts. Okay, tonight's assignment is to tell me your biggest disappointment."

Jane looks down at her paper and pencil, and tries to think what topic she should write around. What is her biggest disappointment? As she focuses her eyes on the ceiling, in some odd hope of coming up with a topic, out of the corner of her eye she sees Maura begin to write. Oh, but of course. Jane thinks hard and comes up with "There once was a man from Nantucket, whose…." She laughs at that, as of course she can think of nothing serious. Actually, she can. But the last thing she wants to do is put it down on paper, as then it makes it real. How could she put her feelings into words, especially when she is having a hard time understanding them herself?

"Ok class, time is up. Who wants to go first?" Jane puts down her pencil and studies what drawings she has made on her paper. Oh, and unfortunately that's it. Crap! She thinks. Who the hell can create a literal masterpiece in just half an hour? She looks over at her friend who naturally has a page full.

As Maura is the first person to raise her hand, Jack eagerly calls upon her. After all, this gives him the opportunity to focus solely on her. "Miss, can you please read to us what your biggest regret is."

Maura looks over at Jane, gathering her composure and begins to recite the following:

_Do you exist?_

_When I think of you, I realize that you are everything I have dreamed of_

_Sharing my life with someone whose laugher is contagious and a smile that melts my heart_

_Your eyes tell me a story that I long to read over and over_

_I could spend all day just holding your hand, or just touching your arm to make sure you are real_

_It is the little things that you do that helps me to see what I do not have in life now_

_I want to dry your tears during life's hard moments, and I cheer you on when you need encouragement_

_With you beside me, I feel like I can accomplish anything_

_I ask myself if you exist and yet I have found the answer_

_Unfortunately, I sadly do not exist to you _

Jane is dumbfounded by what Maura has recited. She looks over at her friend and sees that Maura's head is down. Jane does not know what to think of this moment.

After a few moments of silence, Jack adds his thanks to Maura and moves on to another student. Jane could not begin to describe what the other stories that were read that evening, as she was going over Maura's story time and time again. Who was this person that Maura regretted? It left an empty feeling in Jane's stomach. It also left one of regret, as she wanted to be that person that had Maura's affection.

Damn.

After the class, finally, came to a conclusion, the girls eagerly were gathering their things to head to their respective cars. Jack stopped by and thanks the ladies for attending. He also handed Maura his business card, along with is cell phone number written on it. Maura smiled her thanks in return, as Jane witnesses this exchange.

"Do you want to go out for a night cap?" Maura asks. At this point, Jane feels the need to go home and process the evening's events. What, or who, was Maura's biggest regret? Her poem had actually frustrated the hell out of her. What it directed towards her? Shit….

"Actually, I have a large workload tomorrow, can we call it a night please?" Jane says.

"Of course, I will see you in the morning. Thank you for joining me, my friend" Maura says as she gives Jane a hug. What was the reason for the hug?

Jane gets in her car and speeds home. She cannot wait to be on her couch and re-read what Maura put together for the evening. Her story, in term, sucked. Her disappointment was not scoring better on a test at the police academy. Well, that was all she could safely come up with.

Jane has more of her Jack minus coke while she re-reads Maura's story. Sitting by herself in the darkness, she decides to pick up her phone. She texts Maura something sweet and simple.

**You exist to me**


	9. Chapter 9

Maura read and reread Jane's text before going to sleep that night. As a matter of fact, it was also the first thing the Medical Examiner thought of when she woke up. She stretched and reached for her phone. **You exist to me**, it read. Could that finally be Jane admitting she cares for her?

Across town, Jane's alarm clock goes off. Damn it, the Detective thinks. Why do mornings have to start off with an annoying sound? Then she remembers the text that she sent Maura. Oh my gosh, did she really do that? The poem made her sad and she wanted Maura to know that she was not invisible, anyone would be lucky to have her in their lives. She especially was glad. In fact, very much so.

Getting out of bed and heading to the shower, Jane began to wonder what her next conversation with Maura would be like. After all, she basically admitted that she noticed her and perhaps wanted things to go further. With her friend, her female friend at that. Holy shit…. As the hot water begins to loosen up her shoulders that were tense with the realization that she essentially told Maura she was fond of her, Jane began to think of what to do next.

Maura had told her earlier in the evening that the ball was once again back in her court with finding an activity that the two could share. Oh, Jane has some ideas, indeed so. She decides upon one suggestion for the girls' next outing.

As she is getting dressed, her phone buzzes and it is Maura. **Good morning, are you ready to face the day? **

Jane thinks heck no, but responds with** But of course. Homicide waits for no one! See you for lunch today? **

**I am looking forward to it, **Maura responds with a smirk. She cannot wait to see if this is a breakthrough in their relationship.

At work, the time is going slowly for both of the women. Jane keeps to herself at her desk and handles the outstanding paperwork that is never ending with her job. Maura spends her time in her office responding to emails with the Governor and the likes that her position demands. Jane realizes that it's getting near that time for lunch and texts her doctor.

**Are you ready to go in about half an hour? I'm bored, what about you? **Jane says.

**Yes, I am finding that I do not have much that requires my attention this morning. I am ready when you are. **

The ladies meet in the parking lot and go to their favorite Thai restaurant for a quick bite during their hour off. Jane is noticeably nervous with her friend, and Maura senses that. She is curious as to what Jane will say or do after the text. Did she really mean what she said?

"Ok, the ball is in my court now." Jane says. Maura just nods and remains silent with her nerves on edge. "This weekend, I want to take you to Canobie Lake Park. Have you ever been?" Canobie Lake park is approximately half an hour's drive from Boston on a good day. It is an amusement park, Jane informs Maura.

"Ok, sure, that sounds like it could be interesting. I will go along with you to this park, as long as you take care of me while we are there. I have never been to an amusement park before."

"Oh, I plan on doing exactly that. I will pick you up at 8:00 Saturday morning. You'll love it Maura, or at least I hope you will."

"Okay, I will as long as you are with me." With that, Jane blushes.

Saturday cannot come soon enough for the Medical Examiner. And for the Detective, the hours are just flying by. The two women have been keeping their friendship on a nominal basis, having an occasional lunch or a coffee in the morning before arriving at the office. Each of the ladies is not really sure what the other is thinking at this point. For Maura, it does not matter, as she is spending time with Jane. Jane, on the other hand, is still coming to terms with her feelings towards her friend, and is also wondering at what point, if any, she feels comfortable in making a move to propel them into a romantic relationship. All of these feelings are overwhelming to her. Unfortunately, this does not come with an Owner's Manual. If it did, probably would be a best seller.

Jane tells Maura to wear comfortable shoes like tennis shoes and jeans for the day. Maura does not disappoint. She is wearing tight jeans that could only be described as painted on and a green v-neck sweater that highlights her eyes. She is fairly certain that Jane will like what she is wearing.

Not that Jane is nervous, but it seems to take her longer to decide what to wear as well. She goes for a short sleeved white shirt and black jeans. It works for her, although quite frankly what does not. Combing her fingers through her hair one last time, she checks herself in the mirror and heads out the door to pick up Maura.

Jane rings the door bell and waits for the door to open. She realizes that her heart beat has increased since arriving at the residence of her friend. Calm down, she tells herself, it's just a day with Maura. As the door opens, she sees Maura with a large cup of coffee in her hand. "Do you want some?" Maura greets Jane.

Gulping, all the Detective can do is nod her head. Oh Lordy, it is going to be a long day. As she strolls past her friend and heads to the kitchen, Maura cannot help but watch her walk by. And oh, how she walks indeed! Jane, feeling watched, cannot hide the smirk from her face. This is an odd semi exchange between the two women.

More coffee is poured and consumed while Jane explains more about the amusement park. Maura secretly hopes that her Detective in shining armor wins her a prize at one of those carnival type games. Then she would get Jane to carry it for the rest of the day, all the while looking at her adorably. Ah, day dreams.

The girls get in Maura's Prius once again and head towards Canobie. Jane is driving and Maura is responding to emails. Every once in a while, Jane steals a look at the Medical Examiner from the corner of her eye, as she enjoys watching Maura concentrate. When Maura is concentrating, she is solely focused at the task at hand.

Before she can blink, the Prius heads into the parking lot and finds a spot within walking distance of the main entrance. Maura can see the steel of the rides past the gates and is beginning to get excited. "Oh Jane, this is going to be fabulous!"

"I will admit that I have not been here in the last twenty years, so please bear with me as I try to find out away around." Jane, all of a sudden feels a little intimated. She pays the admittance fee for them both, as it is day to show Maura around. Studying the map, Jane decides that she will try to win Maura a prize at the 3-point challenge. She has been shooting hoops lately and thinks this is her best shot in winning her friend a prize.

"Oh Jane, this looks to be a fun day" as she loops her hand around Jane's arm. Jane feels on top of the world, and yet as shy as can be. She decides to go to a tame ride for their first time, the Swings. As the girls stand in line and finally get to their turn for the ride, Jane finds two seats that are near each other. She takes the one inner to the ring so that Maura can have the one that will go out the most. Watching Maura put her head back in laughter as the swings whirled around and around, Jane was relieved. Thus far, things were going well.

Afterwards, the ladies braved the lines and rode three roller coasters, the bumper cars and antique carousel. Jane decided to test her luck. "Are you hot? Do you want to get wet with me?" Maura almost ran into a child in front of her at hearing Jane's request. "Excuse me?"

"Let's head towards the log ride" and grabs Maura's arm. Jane is well aware that there is a steep 40-foot drop that will get Maura to scream, and she is looking forward to it. She is also looking forward to having Maura sit between her legs, as she is the tallest, and getting her shirt wet.

After waiting 35 minutes in line for this ride, the ladies are finally next to board a log. As the next one approaches, Jane moves in front of Maura to get in first. The seat is wet, and Jane uses her hand to push the excess water into the log itself. After she sits, she beckons Maura to sit between her legs. Maura happily fulfills her wish. Once Maura is seated, Jane puts her hands on her thighs as a way to encircle her friend. As the log is propelled forward and into the water to start the ride, the girls laugh. Jane pulls Maura against her, and Maura is happy to snuggle into Jane's body. If only she could stay there.

Jane wrestles with this feeling once again of having Maura in her arms and yet hesitates to act. While she is very much enjoying the feeling of the blonde pushing against her front, she is also wrestling with her inner turmoil. Jane just sighs, and Maura takes that queue to mean that she is putting too much pressure on the brunette. To each of the women, the ride is taking longer than necessary.

At last the log is rising to its climax towards the 40-foot drop. Jane pulls Maura back sharply against her, more so as a way of keeping herself dry. Maura grips Jane's arm around her waist as the log dives to the bottom of the hill. As Jane ducks behind the shield of Maura, SPLASH!

The girls laugh, and Jane keeps her grip on Maura's waist to keep her close to her. Jane doesn't want to let go, and Maura is happy being in her arms. She pushes back against Jane, and it is an odd moment shared between the two.

Alas, the log comes to the exit point for the riders. Maura gets out first and extends a hand to Jane. Both girls are wet from the ride, and head towards the park wall that has the blow dryers. Jane quickly dries herself, whereas Maura is trying to dry and style appropriate. After a bit, Jane guides her to the exit for the ride.

"Oh, thank goodness, I was afraid that my phone would be affected by the water." Maura checks her incoming text and sees that it is Jack.

"Was that work?" Jane asks. "No, it was Jack wanting confirmation of our motorcycle ride for tomorrow. He said he wants to take me away." As Maura smiles and texts back, Jane feels an emptiness in her stomach. What the hell? Was she reading Maura wrong in thinking she wanted to be with her?

Jane is unsure as to what to do now. Maura, on the other hand, has turned giddy and is ready to continue to explore the park. "Come on, let's head towards that roller coaster in the north" Maura says.

"You know Maura, I'm feeling rather tired. Do you mind if we call it a day and head home please?" Jane sinks further within herself as she continues to wrestle with her emotions. She was almost ready to really let Maura know how she feels, or thinks she feels, towards her. Now, she just wants to be alone and away from anything that has to do with her friend.

"Is there anything that I can do Jane?" Maura asks. Jane just shakes her head and begins to walk towards the park's exit. Maura does not know what to think, but does realize that her friend has changed right before her eyes. What made her do it?

After heading the car towards Boston, Jane focuses on the drive ahead. Maura is looking out the window in silence trying to figure out what has upset her friend.

"Jane, is everything alright?"

"Sure Maura, everything is fine." And then silence. More miles are passing by when Maura turns on the radio. Jane just turns away, as if giving the appearance that the music is painful.

As Jane pulls up in front of Maura's home, Jane does not turn off the car. This is a sign to Maura that the day is over. "Thank you, Jane, I had a wonderful time." Maura gets out of the car, shuts the door and heads towards her front door. There is no need to look back, as she can tell Jane has backed out of the drive way.

Alone in the car, Jane whispers to herself for Maura to enjoy the rest of her weekend. She heads home to her apartment with a feeling of loneliness and perhaps a chance lost. Jane does not know what to think or what to feel, let alone what to do. She thought she made it clear to Maura that she wanted things to take on a different tone, but obviously Maura was not ready to commit to her. Maura wanted to date Jack, and how could Jane compete with that? There was no competition in her mind, she lost without getting out of the starting gate.

At home, Jane wonders what she could or should do differently. Was she ready to commit to Maura and let her know without a doubt that she wanted her?

Picking up her cell phone, she texted Maura. **Can we talk please?**

**Jane, what's wrong? Are you okay? **

Jane looks at her cell phone and swallows.** I won't be if you go off with Jack. **She looks over her text and hits the send button.

Maura looks at her phone. Thinking about it for a moment, Maura asks **What do you want, Jane?**

Jane looks at her phone. She closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. She opens her eyes and sees her response clearly as she types it in.

**You.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Hi, I am sorry for the delay. Thank you for your patience and your kind remarks. It really does mean the world to me. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.**

Maura receives her message loud and clear. She smiles and begins to feel giddy at the thought of being with Jane Rizzoli. To have her as her best friend, and now perhaps to have her as her heart and soul. Now that is quite an accomplishment.

**I want you too, Jane**

Jane sees this message appear on her phone and she cannot believe her eyes. Her heart pounding what feels like almost out of her chest, she types her reply.

**Good!**

Maura smiles back at the phone. She wishes she could see Jane right now.

**Do you want to come over, so we can talk?**

Thinking about what she should say, Jane stares at the screen and wonders what to type next. She is deciding between Hell Yes, Hell No and Do I have to? Her fears are getting the best of her.

**Maura, I'd love to. Can we talk tomorrow night instead please? **

Maura is concerned about this last text. **Are you okay?** She would love to be able to look at her Detective to see if she could read what kind of reaction she was having to this new development.

Once again, Jane is contemplating on what to say to her friend.

**I'm fine Maura, I just need to be alone tonight. Is that okay?**

**Of course, Jane, of course. I will be here if you want to talk. We have come a long way today. I probably need tonight to myself as well. Take care, I will be thinking of you.**

Jane feels relieved and sends a smiley face to Maura. Thinking about it, the revelation wasn't so bad. After a few moments, Jane urgently runs to the bathroom and vomits.

Across town, Maura opens the refrigerator and pours herself a glass of chardonnay. Sitting on the couch, she reflects on this life-changing day. She is over the moon that Jane has finally come to terms with her feelings for her, and is not afraid to proclaim that. She finishes her wine and after washing it, places the glass back in the cabinet. It has been a long emotional day and she just wants to curl up to her pillow and dream of what is to come.

Waking up alone, Jane's first thought is of Maura. She has feelings of anxiety and also disbelief that this is really true. Maura likes her and wants a relationship with her. She rolls over and screams into her pillow, just to get something, anything out of her to express her emotions. Afterwards, she feels better and hopes that her neighbors did not hear. Reaching for her phone, she sees that Maura has not texted her since their conversation yesterday. Jane wishes her a good morning.

**Good morning, I hope we don't have any murders today.** Well, that was smooth, Jane thinks to herself as she rolls her eyes.

After showering, the usually not caring Jane spends an extra few moments in her closet, looking for clothes this time. She decides on a pink v-neck shirt with her dark gray suit. As she clips her gun and phone to her person, she takes one last look in the mirror and leaves her apartment.

Maura had been up for hours at this point, having a nice relaxing session in her yoga room prior to having a cup of coffee before getting ready for work. She took a nice long shower, making sure that she was freshly shaved for whatever the day may have in store for her and Jane. The thought of Jane sends tingles to her core.

Arriving at the station, Jane sits down at her computer and logs in. Opening her inbox, she scans the newly arrived emails and sees one from Maura. It wishes her a good morning and she hopes to see her for lunch. Jane reads this and smiles. It is a nice feeling to know someone is thinking of you, and she could get used to this.

Both women try to pass the slow-moving morning by catching up on paperwork. Finally, at eleven thirty, Maura sends a text to Jane.

Do you want to come with me?

Gulping, Jane smirks and says replies back, **Are you trying to make me blush, Doctor?**

Laughing at this new-found Jane, Maura texts **Always! I will be right there.**

The elevator opened and the sound of high heels coming forward make Jane turn around. She would recognize those footsteps anywhere. As their eyes meet for the first time after their confessions to each other, the rest of the room suddenly did not exist. It was just Jane and Maura. Two women in love, who are willing to risk everything by being together. Because if not, there is no self-existence.

Jane stands up and walks up to the Medical Examiner. "Hey, let's go." She guides Maura out the door and to her car. She opens the passenger side and Maura gets in. As she watches her legs swing around and slide into the car, Jane grins to herself. She cannot get over that this incredibly beautiful woman is her friend and she's interested in her for more than friendship. How is she worthy?

As Jane gets into the car and fastens her seat belt, she looks over at her passenger. The women gaze into each other's eyes for a brief moment, and then Jane starts the car. "Is it too soon to say that I want to kiss you?" Maura dives right in.

Jane grips the steering wheel tightly and grins. "No, I guess it isn't. But um, I'd rather not have our first kiss in my car, okay?" Laughing, Maura looks out the window and tries to control herself. She wonders where their first kiss will be. Hopefully it will be romantic, slow and meaningful. Or maybe it will hot and passionate. Quickly, Maura stops thinking about the endless possibilities of having Jane's lips on hers. She smiles, she cannot control it. The future and the prospect of being with the woman she loves is almost overwhelming

Clearing her throat, Maura asks where they are going to lunch this afternoon. The Salad Bar it is. Jane is clearly doing this for Maura, as Jane can give two shits about having lettuce for lunch. How is this even fulfilling? But she knows that Maura will find some satasfactopm Her friend reassures her that she will create an Italian dish for dinner at Maura's place after work. Jane has no doubt it will be a delicious meal indeed.

The lunch was non-commensal, as the ladies shoved the various lettuces inside their mouths. Jane and Maura were both nervous to approach the topic head on, and therefore did not. The lunch date was easy and yet tantalizing all in the same breath. Jane wanted so much more, but was seriously afraid of making the next move. Maura, on the other hand, was ready and willing and able to perform whatever sort of physical dance she needed to perform for Jane. Jane was her goal, as she was her heart's desire. Back at the station, the women bid each other a good afternoon with promises of meeting later for dinner. Alone. Just the two of them, and potentially their future.

Jane arrives at Maura's for dinner with flowers in hand. She wants to make a good impression and that impression must show that this is more than friendship and that she is in it for the long haul. Jane reminds herself of that. She continues to repeat in her head to not fuck this up. This is important. This is Maura.

Maura opens the door to an obvious nervous Jane holding out an arrangement of flowers at arms' length. Maura laughs and invites the Detective into her home. The smell of Italian spices cooking is almost overwhelming Jane's senses.

"Oh Maura, it smells so good. What are you making?" Jane says as Maura is maneuvering in the kitchen to find a vase. Jane notices that there are already flowers placed on the dining room table, which is set nicely for a gourmet meal. Seeing Jane stiffen, Maura reassures her that it is just chicken marsala and nothing to get overly fancy about. She knows that Jane is more low-key than high.

Jane assists Maura in the kitchen by tossing the salad and pouring the wine in the dinner glasses. Each of the women is trying to keep busy in hopes of not putting too much emphasis on what tonight may mean to their future. The women are busy in the kitchen getting ready to serve the meal.

As the table and the dishes are now served and plated, Maura holds up her wine glass to Jane. Maura is looking relaxed, while Jane is still nervous. Maura says "To a wonderful meal. May we enjoy the bounties it brings us" and clinks glasses with Jane. Jane wonders what that is supposed to mean, and realizes that she just needs to relax and not think of this as a date with the best friend.

After awkward glances and finishing the meal, the ladies clear the table. "Shall we relax in the living room and watch tv with another bottle?" Maura asks.

How Maura can be so calm about this is beyond her. Jane feels like this is a first date and has been clumsy throughout. No only has a part of the chicken landed on the floor, but then she felt wine dribbling down her chin when Maura made her laugh. So much for the classy detective profile she was trying to elude.

Sitting on the couch with another bottle of wine, the women seem to relax around each other. Maura notices that she herself have felt a pressure towards the evening while trying to make the perfect dish with the perfect wine. After all, Jane was worth this and more. Maura knew that Jane would be hyper sensitive to this situation and would precede cautiously.

Both ladies have a full glass and are seated next to each other while Maura finds a documentary for them to watch. She thought that would be better than a sports show, which may have Jane's full attention. Maura wanted the attention on her, on them.

"So, how did you like dinner?" Maura asks. She is trying to go for small talk in order to relax her friend who seems quite nervous.

"Oh, it was great Maura, thanks." Jane becomes bold and leans in and kiss Maura on the cheek. As Jane leans away from her friend, Maura puts her hand behind her neck and brings her face to face.

At last, lips meet lips in the most perfect soft way, lingering. It is almost indescribable what each of the women are feeling at this point. Their mouths are touching, tasting each other slowly. Jane thinks she has found her Heaven. How could she not, she had Maura in her arms.

Maura was thinking how badly she wanting to take things quicker with Jane. This kiss, so slow and deep, was almost too much for her to not reach out and take things to the next level., but she knew better without doubt that Jane wanted Maura.

Jane was trying to come to grips with what she was feeling being intimate with her best friend. There was still a large part of her that was not willing, or perhaps not ready, to switch circuits to showing that side of herself. At last, Jane absorbed herself into Maura's kiss.

"Maura, please…." Her mind said not to stop but Maua took it as stop.

"Ok, we will wait" Maura says as she pulls apart from Jane. Her body is rebellious and is wanting to get away from Jane. It is an odd abrupt parting for the aftermath of their kiss.

Jane says to her and to Maura, "No, wait…."


	11. Chapter 11

Once upon a time, there was a girl who was actually a strong woman. She was a pretty girl who was very hard to read. Others found her difficult to read, but once a person did, they were let into a world that was very intriguing. After all, life is a mystery and it is worth solving.

And she was a mystery. The wonder of what she was thinking and what she was feeling was almost an overwhelming concept that it is hard to put into words. It was almost beyond a concept she could dream to experience. And yet she was. There she thought in her quiet hours, she was wishing and she was wondering if only she could read her mind.

And more importantly, if only she would reach out. There was a longing that was not fulfilled, and yet she was patient. How could she not be? She had no other choice.

In order to make a change, one had to take a chance to make a choice.


End file.
